John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon War — John Shaqi
John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon WarGates, Susa Young
General
John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon War
Gates, Susa Young
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Utah Expedition (1857-1858) -- Fiction
The regiments of the Utah militia which had been drawn up in rigid
lines before the central pavilion, now saluted the Governor of the
Territory, Brigham Young, and then began a series of brilliant
evolutions. The marching and counter-marching of this tried and trusty
band of mountaineer soldiers made a gallant display which was eminently
fitting to time and scene, in its evidence of loyal devotion to
freedom's rights.
"Dian," whispered Ellen, as the two sat watching the maneuvers, "don't
you just love a soldier? The sight of those brass buttons is just
thrilling to me."
Dian's answer was more moderate, but she would have been less than
human if she had not been thrilled by the sight of the so-called "Hope
of Israel," the Juvenile Rifle Company which was now led out by the
handsome young son of the President himself, John W. Young; for all
those youngsters were less than sixteen years old. Her nephew, Harvey
Winthrop, was in that gay company, as she noted triumphantly. And their
marching and counter-marching, their saluting and drilling was a sight
to touch the most sluggish heart into warmth of admiration.
"Oh, Dian, isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw in your life?"
again asked happy Ellen, as they watched the youthful soldiers finally
trot off to the silence of the trees beyond.
"Let us go, Dian, now that the military exercises are over. I have just
been longing to climb those peaks, and see the lakes above us. Come
quick; let us go now," and the restless girl pulled at her friend's
sleeve.
"Why, dear, you must be one of the reckless spirits the President
was talking about last night. We ought to stay and listen to all the
program in the Bowery. Let us go with the crowd and not sneak off
alone."
But Ellen could not wait, so eager were her feet to press the forbidden
slopes of the hills above. She longed to fly, so vital were her pulses.
The girls compromised as usual and finally walked over to the swings
on the north side of the lake, and both swung themselves into happy
weariness in half an hour's time.
"Where are the boys?" asked Willie Howe, as the two girls strolled
about.
"John is doing guard duty; Charlie is down the canyon with the horses;
Tom declares he will bring us a whole wheelbarrow of fish for dinner,
so I suppose he is somewhere on the lakes fishing."
"And where is Henry Boyle?"
At that Dian remembered his plight and her ready laughter bubbled up to
eyes and lips. She told the shirt story midst peals of wicked laughter.
Youth is so cruel!
IV.
THE ECHO DOWN THE CANYON
The two girls now strolled outward toward Solitude. On and on they
went, drawn by the beauty of the scene about them. As the upward
path brought them into the over-arched seclusion of the eternal
quaking-aspens, towering in highest majesty above them, their very
tones were hushed to reverence by the surrounding loveliness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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